How to Stay Metrc Compliant in Oklahoma 2025

Imagine an Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) inspector walks into your dispensary tomorrow: Are you confident that every product in your store is properly tracked in Metrc and compliant with state regulations? In Oklahoma’s regulated cannabis industry, every gram of product must be accounted for in Metrc—the state’s mandated seed-to-sale tracking system—from the moment it enters your inventory until it’s sold. Staying compliant with Metrc isn’t just bureaucratic box-checking; it’s critical to protecting your license and the success of your business. This guide provides Oklahoma dispensary owners with a roadmap to maintaining Metrc compliance, covering the legal framework, tagging procedures, daily reporting requirements, costs, and how to integrate Metrc into your workflow with tools like IndicaOnline.

Understanding Oklahoma’s Metrc Compliance Requirements

Oklahoma regulations require all licensed medical marijuana businesses—including dispensaries—to use Metrc for inventory tracking and reporting, and the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority has contracted Metrc as the official statewide system to monitor cannabis from seed to sale. In practice, this means every cannabis product handled by an Oklahoma dispensary must be logged in the Metrc database. This unified track-and-trace system gives the OMMA a real-time overview of all medical marijuana activity and helps prevent diversion of products outside the legal market.

Legal Framework: After some initial delays, Metrc became fully mandatory for Oklahoma licensees in 2022. Dispensaries were given until August 24, 2022, to tag or dispose of any inventory not recorded in Metrc—after that date, all commercial medical marijuana had to be tracked in the system. Operating without using Metrc is now a serious violation of state rules. The OMMA has made it clear that failure to comply with the Metrc seed-to-sale tracking requirements can result in fines or even put your license at risk. In short, Metrc is the law of the land for Oklahoma cannabis businesses, and dispensaries must adhere to its protocols.

Getting Started: Setting Up Metrc for Your Oklahoma Dispensary

Staying compliant begins with properly onboarding your business onto Metrc. Key steps to get started include:

1. Obtain Your OMMA License & Complete the Training: You must have an active Oklahoma dispensary license to use Metrc. Once licensed, sign up for Metrc’s required New Business training course. The owner or a key employee will need to complete this online class (offered via webinar or on-demand) before the OMMA and Metrc grant you system access. Upon finishing the training, you’ll receive credentials enabling you to log in to your Oklahoma Metrc account.
2. Activate Your Metrc Account: Use your credentials to log in to the Oklahoma Metrc portal and set up your business profile. This ties your OMMA license number to the system. Once logged in, you can also add other employees as users with appropriate roles. Activating your account is a crucial step that officially enrolls your dispensary in the state’s tracking system.
3. Order Metrc Tags: With your account active, order the plant and package tags you’ll need for tracking inventory. Tags are purchased through Metrc’s online portal (under “Tag Orders”) and shipped to your business. Dispensaries mostly use package tags (for products), while plant tags are used by those who also cultivate cannabis plants. Each tag comes with a unique ID pre-assigned to your license. Be sure to order enough tags to cover all current inventory and incoming stock.
4. Be Aware of Metrc Costs: Compliance has some costs. Oklahoma dispensaries pay $40 per month per license for Metrc system access. In addition, each tag costs $0.45 (for a plant tag) or $0.25 (for a package tag). These fees are paid when you order tags. Budget for the monthly fee and tag purchases as part of doing business.
5. Tag Your Opening Inventory: Before going live with Metrc, attach tags to all existing cannabis products in your Oklahoma dispensary and enter them into the system as your opening inventory. This ensures your starting stock is fully accounted for in Metrc. Accuracy in this step will prevent discrepancies later on.
6. Consider POS Integration: Metrc’s interface allows approved POS systems (like IndicaOnline) to push sales and inventory data to Metrc automatically. Using an integrated system can save time and reduce errors by eliminating manual data entry. If you don’t integrate, establish clear procedures for entering data into Metrc consistently each day to meet Oklahoma’s reporting requirements.

By completing these steps, your Oklahoma dispensary will be fully onboarded to Metrc and ready to operate within the state’s compliance system.

Using Metrc Plant and Package Tags

All cannabis inventory in Oklahoma is tracked via Metrc tags that carry unique identification numbers. There are two types of tags you should know about:

• Plant Tags: These are RFID tags assigned to individual cannabis plants during cultivation. If you also cultivate cannabis, each plant must have a plant tag attached as it enters the vegetative stage, and that tag stays with the plant until harvest. Plant tags allow Metrc to monitor each plant’s lifecycle and link it to the products that come from it. (If you are strictly a retailer, plant tagging is handled by your growers and processors before products reach you.)
• Package Tags: These are tags for cannabis products that have been harvested, processed, or prepared for sale. Every package of product in your inventory will have a package tag. Package tags are adhesive labels with a unique 24-digit ID number for a specific quantity of product. The package tag links that product to its origin (which batch or lot it came from), its test results, and its current quantity in the system. Dispensary staff will use these tags when accepting deliveries, adjusting inventory, and selling products.

Source: Metrc

Metrc RFID (radio-frequency identification) plant tag attached to a cannabis plant. Each tag has a unique ID linked to the Metrc database for tracking.

Best Practices: Ensure every cannabis item in your store is associated with an active Metrc tag at all times, and never sell (or even display) a product that isn’t properly tagged in Metrc. When new inventory arrives, verify each package’s tag ID matches what’s listed on the transfer manifest. If any tag is missing or incorrect, resolve it before putting the product out for sale. If a tag falls off or becomes illegible, request a replacement tag in Metrc and re-tag the item. By using the required plant and package tags, you maintain an unbroken chain of tracking for every product.

Traceability: The tagging system enables full traceability of cannabis products in Oklahoma. Because each tag ID is unique statewide, regulators (and you) can trace any given product from its source to its final sale. For dispensaries, this traceability means accountability for your inventory. By properly tagging and logging everything, you can demonstrate exactly where your products came from and where they went, which is the core of Metrc compliance.

Maintaining Compliance in Daily Operations

Once you’re up and running, Metrc compliance becomes a daily part of your dispensary operations. Key areas to focus on include:

• Recording Sales: In Oklahoma, all retail sales must be entered into the system promptly, i.e., whenever you sell a product, the corresponding package’s quantity should be adjusted right away. The easiest method is to use an integrated POS that automatically reports sales as they happen. If you don’t have automation, make it a policy that every cashier or manager enters the day’s sales into Metrc before closing. Timely entry of sales prevents discrepancies and keeps you in compliance with the OMMA’s reporting rules.
• Receiving and Transferring Inventory: When you receive new products from a grower or processor, you must accept the transfer in Metrc to add those items to your inventory. Always verify the delivery matches the Metrc manifest (product names, quantities, tag IDs) before accepting it. Likewise, if you transfer product out to another license (e.g., returning product to a supplier or moving inventory between two locations you own), initiate that transfer in Metrc and use the proper tags. Every movement of cannabis in or out of your store should have a Metrc record.
• Monitoring Testing Status: Only sell products that have passed the required lab tests and have their results uploaded. Each incoming package should have its lab results (Certificate of Analysis) attached by the testing laboratory in Metrc, and you should check Metrc to confirm the test status for new inventory. If a product’s test results aren’t in the system, do not sell that item—contact the supplier or lab to get the results entered, or have the product retested if necessary. Selling untested or “failed test” products is a serious violation, and Metrc is the tool the OMMA uses to ensure all products on the shelves meet safety standards.
• Inventory Audits and Discrepancies: Perform regular inventory audits to reconcile your physical stock with Metrc’s records. If you find any discrepancy between your on-hand inventory and Metrc, adjust the records with the appropriate reason code and documentation. Catching and correcting discrepancies proactively will save you trouble during inspections.
• Zero Inventory Reports (if applicable): In the event your dispensary has a period with no inventory on hand (say you temporarily close and stock is zero), Oklahoma rules require a special report. If you have zero inventory for an entire calendar month, you must submit a zero inventory report in Metrc by the 15th of the next month. This is done using Metrc’s “Operational Exception” function to let the OMMA know you had no product or sales. Most active dispensaries will never need to file this, but be aware of the requirement. Failing to report zero inventory (if it applies) is considered non-compliance and could result in a fine.

One important point: Metrc has replaced Oklahoma’s old monthly reporting system. You no longer submit separate monthly reports to the OMMA—all required data is captured in Metrc in real time. As long as you keep Metrc updated daily (and file any necessary exceptions like the zero inventory report), you are meeting the state’s reporting requirements automatically.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

The OMMA enforces compliance strictly, so violations in Oklahoma can lead to penalties. For example, the OMMA may impose a $500 fine per violation of Metrc rules. Multiple issues could therefore result in multiple fines. Beyond fines, repeated or serious failures can jeopardize your dispensary’s license. The OMMA typically gives licensees a chance to correct issues via a compliance notice. If you fail to address the problem or if a violation is egregious (for instance, intentional diversion), the OMMA can suspend your operations or even revoke your license.

In short, the cost of not following the Metrc rules is far greater than the effort required to stay compliant. Always respond immediately to any OMMA compliance notice. Make accuracy a priority every day, so if an inspection happens, you have confidence that everything in your store is in order. By being proactive and detail-oriented with Metrc, you can avoid fines and protect your ability to operate.

Integrating Metrc with IndicaOnline for Efficiency

While using the system directly is manageable, it can be time-consuming for Oklahoma dispensaries to enter every sale and update manually. IndicaOnline is a cannabis point-of-sale platform that connects via the Metrc API (application programming interface). This integration allows your dispensary’s sales and inventory software to “talk” to Metrc, automatically submitting the required data so you don’t have to do it twice.

How It Works: After your Metrc account has been activated and you’ve obtained your API key, you can enter that key into IndicaOnline’s settings to link the POS with Metrc. Once connected, any inventory action you perform in IndicaOnline (like completing a sale or adding new stock) will automatically update the corresponding records in Metrc. Your staff can use the familiar POS interface while compliance reporting happens seamlessly in the background.

Benefits of Integration: Using IndicaOnline (or a similar integrated POS) can dramatically reduce human error and save labor time.

• Updates to Metrc happen in real time without extra work, ensuring you never fall behind on reporting.
• Staff only need to enter data once. There’s no need to duplicate entries in both systems, which cuts down on mistakes and workload.
• The system can catch and alert you to inconsistencies (for example, if a product in a sale isn’t properly tagged or synced), allowing you to correct issues immediately.
• IndicaOnline is a validated software provider in Oklahoma. This gives you confidence that using it keeps you within compliance requirements.

Building a Culture of Metrc Compliance in Your Oklahoma Dispensary

Maintaining compliance is a critical part of running a cannabis dispensary in Oklahoma, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By understanding the rules and incorporating Metrc duties into your daily routine, you’ll keep your operation in good standing. Set up your Metrc account correctly, tag and track every product diligently, and update the system with every sale and inventory change. Using tools like IndicaOnline can automate much of the work, but always stay attentive to the details.

Compliance is an ongoing effort – it requires consistency and a culture of accuracy among your staff. The payoff for staying compliant is huge: You avoid costly penalties and ensure your business can continue to serve patients without interruption. Mastering it is not just about avoiding fines, it also concerns operating responsibly and successfully. With the right practices and tools, you can keep your dispensary fully Metrc compliant and focus on what you do best: Providing quality medicine to Oklahoma patients.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Dispensary owners should consult with a legal or compliance professional to ensure they meet all of the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) and Metrc requirements specific to their business.